Additional flu deaths reported in western U.S.

(KING) - Washington State's Snohomish Health District is reporting three people have died from flu in Snohomish County.

The dead include a Bothell woman in her 40s, an Everett woman in her 80s and an Edmonds woman in her 80s. All three died in late December in Snohomish hospitals and all had underlying medical conditions.

Earlier reports predicted this could be a bad flu season, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the data now confirms it. In the last week of December 2012, flu was widespread in 41 states.

State health officials believe the six influenza deaths reported across the state so far are likely just a fraction of the total, because only laboratory-confirmed flu deaths are reportable. All six reported flu deaths this season are in western Washington.